You usually won’t be the main story, but you can be a side angle.

BY RONICA CLEARY, FOUNDER OF CLEARY STRATEGIES

[Photo: Getty Images]

What can the leader of the Holy Roman Catholic Church teach us about PR and a solid pitching strategy? Quite a bit, actually. With the election of the first American pope came a parade of news articles, videos, and interviews, each promising us a different insight into the man who now shepherds 1.4 billion souls for the Catholic Church.  

I’d like to take this opportunity to pull back the newsroom curtain, give you a deeper understanding of how the news works, and empower you to use this information to pitch yourself more effectively in the future. 

Be part of the ripple

What happens when you throw a stone into a pond? It creates ripples. Now, imagine the stone as a story. When a story breaks, each ripple represents a different way it can be told. Journalists want to be as close to the center as possible, where the impact is strongest. By connecting with the source, they can find different angles and bring fresh perspectives to a story that captivates the........

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